@tessw Thank you!! I will look at what they've got for perspective. 🙂

I'm doing more monsters for Inktober. I had a lot of fun with them. Won't paint them this time though.

I'm having a similar discussion with myself regarding a comic I'm working on. The conclusion I came to was they're for two separate audiences. Art/comic consumers and art directors so I decided to keep them separate brands. I would say this applies more to you as it's writing. If the promo images are brand appropriate to the illustration brand and audience use them. Good luck with both endeavours!

Unfortunately no, but have fun!! It looks very interesting 🙂

@chip-valecek thanks for explaining chip. It's not been a problem on most pages. Only those that have so many pictures uploaded to it, but the slideshow is a big help.

Everyone has made some great points already. Here are my two cents.

I can sympathize with your questions and reflections on "if only I had done this. . ." I would say, that if you had carefully selected an art program that was actually good and suited your needs, if you had the time and mindset to work on your studies intensely, and if you had the means to support yourself at the end of your education while trying to jumpstart your art career and keep producing art work to get there without giving up. . .then your chances on getting art assignments may possibly be better today as a result.

The question is, how does what-ifs help you today? How does knowing that you could possibly have a fulltime career in art today, if you had made all the correct choices back in the day, help you at this moment in time?

Here are how my reflections of my past has helped me today.

Reflection: My decisions in the past were based too much on other people's validations and approval, and as a result I tried to take my art in a direction that was not "me".

How does that help me today: Do the kind of art I want to do and know that it's worthy.

Reflection: I could have gotten a lot farther if I had worked harder when I didn't have the responsibilities that come with a family.

How does it help me today: Work hard for my goals, with the little time I have now. Shift priorities so I can have more time for art.

Reflection: If only I knew how to use the internet for my benefit in the past, I could have discovered the drawing fundamentals I needed to make my art better. I would have learned that you need a lot less talent than you think, and you actually need to know what to study and then work hard.

How does it help me today: Use the resources the internet has to help me improve. Work on my fundamentals now, and my work will progress.

So anyway I'd encourage you to use your past to help you now, and not just to dwell on what could have been. What you can learn in knowing your career in art could possibly be better if you went to school, is for you to answer as I don't know your life or your situation enough to help you find those answers.

I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks so much for your answers! I've already watched all Third Thursdays and other critique videos available here. They are great and I learn a lot just from watching other people's work being improved and talked about.

Thanks Will! I'm looking forward to that! Does it really sells so quickly?? By the way the link to SVSlearn facebook page doesn't work. It says that it is broken.

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the help.

First I would like to say your work is really lovely,but 2-3 weeks please dont do this to yourself it will be too stressful. I dont have any book illustration experience ,but it just sounds like too much for anyone also there are always problems and changes -sounds like the person who is hiring you has let his own deadline fail and now has to rush everything.

Wow @tessw thanks for the long reply.

Work in the past. Clients look at the range I do and choose a style. Or because I can duplicate most styles we work it out together starting with them finding a kind of mood board of styles. If they aren't sure then I suggest ideas and come up with something new for them. Some have seen work I have done and ask for that style. Everything on the website portfolio has been commercially published.

Preferred style are these ones:
1_1503817171651_IMG_4242.JPG 0_1503817171641_IMG_4269.JPG
Rather than repost the rest of your advice as a reply, I'll just say a huge thank you for your direction! Brilliant advice. I'll finish the book I am working on this week, then tidy up the website.

Gonna copy your reply and print it off 😉

Hi,

I'm currently taking the Illustration 1 course and really like it. Will there be an Illustration 2 class soon?

Thanks,
Linda Ferrara

@missmarck thanks for the tip 🙂

@smceccarelli So useful!! Thank you so much for this wonderful insight.

A few responses:

You are absolutely right. I have no story art work to show at the moment. If I decided to go into that, I'd be building from scratch. Characters tend to appeal to me more. But, I am open to learning new skills... I'm on the fence there.

Great info about the online courses. Thank you!

Games are certainly on my radar. I know how hard it can be to break into Pixar/Disney/Dreamworks. Definitely keeping the door open.

At this point, I can relocate and my boyfriend and I are planning on moving in about one year. Destination is open... I just want to get out of DC. So geography is not an issue. And we don't have kids (nor do we want them)... so the time is now!

Thank you again for your advice/information!

@eric-castleman I think it reads more like a marshmallow now that it's shortened. You might try squishing the shape a little with some indentations of where it was held by the fingers to force it on the poker. Not necessary, just a suggestion to see if you like how it fits with the piece. Also, I personally think the baldness is fine but having some wacky mad scientist hair on the side could potentially make for some good storytelling. I like how the piece is coming along, thanks for sharing your progress.

Hey just watched the dry brushing acrylic video, might be being silly but I can't see the download of the image Will was using? He said it was available? Help needed I have brushes to destroy lol @Will-Terry

The most standard size book is 8"x10". So a full spread is 8"x20". Most illustrators work at 150% or larger. So you could go up to 12"x30". Keep scanning and bleed in consideration....

@tessw Thank you so much! That's insanely helpful you have no idea!!!!

Here's some info from the USPS:

Postcards must be rectangular to qualify for First-Class Mail® prices.
Oversized postcards will be charged as a letter or large envelope.

Size Requirements

Height
Minimum: 3 1/2" — Maximum: 4 1/4" Length
Minimum: 5" — Maximum: 6" Thickness
Minimum: 0.007" — Maximum: 0.016"
(NOTE: .016" thickness equates to Cardstock Paper Gauge of approximately 33 to 26; a common paper used is 110 pound Cardstock)

Addressing Postcards
The address side of a postcard is the side bearing the destination address and postage. The address side may contain a message area.

Miscellaneous graphics such as symbols, logos, or characters that appear on the address side of cards not containing a message are generally acceptable provided the items are not intended to convey a message.

To receive the postcard price the message area on the address side must be divided vertically or horizontally and meet the following additional standards:

Vertically divided cards
The address side of the card must be divided into a right portion and a left portion, with or without a vertical rule. The left portion is the message area.

The destination address, postage, and any United States Postal Service marking or endorsement must appear in the right portion. The right portion must be at least 2-1/8 inches wide (measured from the right edge of the card, top to bottom inclusive

Horizontally divided cards
The address side of the card must be divided into an upper portion and a lower portion, with or without a horizontal rule. The portion of the address side that does not contain the destination address is the message area.

The address, postage, and any Postal Service marking or endorsement must appear within the portion containing the destination address. As an alternative, when the destination address appears within the lower portion, it is permissible for the postage, return address, and any USPS marking or endorsement to appear in the upper portion. The portion bearing the destination address must be at least 1-1/2 inches high.

https://www.usps.com/ship/preparing-domestic-shipments.htm
http://faq.usps.com/?articleId=219323 (FAQ: What is a Postcard?)
http://faq.usps.com/?articleId=221639 (FAQ: How do I Address a Postcard?)

@sarahelliott489 I should mention that the other option is to join an umbrella company. They handle all the tax paperwork, provide insurance and only take their cut when you log time against work.